Category: Vendors

I have been dying to share this special celebration with you, and I am thrilled that the day has finally arrived! Tina and Brian’s incredibly creative, colorful, and detail-laden 5-year vow renewal is featured today on Green Wedding Shoes (thank you, sweet Jen!). Make sure you scoot on over to feast on all the eye candy, courtesy of my talented friend Braedon Flynn. It is always an honor to be featured on Green Wedding Shoes and I think it’s the perfect venue to debut these stunning images.

I couldn’t resist sharing my own post today, whittled down to some of my favorite images from the day, as well as some extra background and details. I had the hardest time selecting photos because this event was seriously jam-packed with gorgeous. Everywhere you turned, there were layers and layers of beauty and visual interest. I hope you’re pulled up in a comfy chair and ready to dive into all the goodness.

Tina and Brian are a very special couple to me, because we go way, way back to 2009. Tina had been a blog follower even before her engagement, and I was blown away when she contacted me to help her style her nearly 800-guest wedding in Taipei, Taiwan (!!!) *and* her stateside reception in Los Angeles. We clicked from the very start, and I can tell you that she truly become one of my most precious friends since then. When she told me she wanted to throw a 5-year vow renewal celebration, and wanted me to be a part of it again, I was over the moon. Tina, for you — any party, anytime, I’m there. It is a dream working with a friend/client who is so creative and stylish herself, yet also yields to her vendors an amazing amount of trust. She had such a strong sense of vision from the get-go, and all we had to do was embellish and breathe life into it!

For this occasion, I had the pleasure of collaborating with my dear friend, Tori Hendrix of Sitting in a Tree Design, on the design for the celebration. We had a perfect creative synergy and had a blast working together! The vow renewal was drenched in rich colors embracing a jewel-toned palette (inspired by Tina’s background as a gemologist) that included sapphire, emerald green, deepest purple, oxblood, onyx and metallic accents. Texture also played a big part in the overall event design, and elements such as leather, ponyhair hide, herringbone tweed and velvet all made their way into the look of the day.

Tina blew us away right out of the gate by setting the tone with her one-of-a-kind invitations. You guys, it was the kind of invitation that you wonder how you can display forever. (No wonder, since Tina is a gifted calligrapher and hand lettering artist that goes by Miss Multee.) A custom black acrylic box was topped with a geode “handle” like a sleek jewelry box. Inside upon a velvet pillow, an agate slice was hand-lettered in gold ink. Accessory cards were also done in Tina’s calligraphy, letterpressed and foil stamped by Copper Willow. A black leather tag wrapped around the entire box on a length of black suede cord. It took my breath away! Best of all, Tina had thoughtfully chosen each geode and agate slice to match the style and sensibilities of the recipient. No two were alike.

They invited 30 of their nearest and dearest to be present for this momentous occasion. Though the celebration was intimately-sized, the details were larger than life and styled for maximum impact. Upon arrival, guests encountered a station with an array of floral crowns and boutonnieres to adorn themselves. They grabbed a beverage and followed a path through a set of striking green vintage doors to enter the ceremony space, where sumptuous upholstered furniture from Found Vintage Rentals faced a bougainvillea-draped arch by Siren Floral Co. Overhead, hundreds of agate slices were strung as linear garlands, creating an aerial “cloud” (one of our earliest design ideas).

The incredible dinner, artfully prepared by Chef Matt of Heirloom LA, was entirely vegetarian (and mostly vegan). Tina and Brian, both vegetarians, were excited to share an inventive meatless meal with their guests. Creative courses included beet greens ravioli, coddled eggs and potatoes served in miniature mason jars, and the tiniest casserole dishes filled with vegetarian bibimbap: a spicy and savory Korean rice dish. Sweets were plentiful, with macaron ice cream sandwiches by Sweet and Saucy Shop and Sweet Lucie’s, as well as an assortment of mini desserts and cakes by The Scootabaker.

Guests enjoyed the evening at one of four uniquely-designed tablescapes. Each table featured a unique color story and design details. It looked like a veritable showcase of the Casa de Perrin inventory, because we were able to play with so many incredible pieces from their collection. One table featured ponyhair, succulents, airplants, cement, clear glass, corrugated zinc and wood. A second table was topped with black leather placemats (made by Tori), sapphire blue glassware and milkglass budvases filled with bursts of berry-colored florals. The third table showcased green glass demijohns from Found, filled with bougainvillea. Black taper candles in brass candlesticks completed the moody look. The couple themselves joined their friends at the fourth vignette: a breathtaking green wooden table topped with dazzling gold details, aubergine glassware and a literal treasure chest overflowing with florals. Rachael of Siren Floral Co. beautifully executed the floral vision to capture the wild, romantic, lush feel of the day. Although each table felt distinct, they were tied together in the scale of their design. I spent most of the day debating which one was my favorite and I think I changed my mind 100 times!

Tina and Brian are a truly unique couple, inspiring those around them with their impeccable taste as well as their generous and loving hearts. Everyone present, myself included, felt blessed to be a part of such a special celebration. Sitting down as a guest that evening was the ultimate gift, because I am thankful to be invited into their lives after all these years. I wish Tina and Brian only the best for the future and am already counting down until their 10-year anniversary!

And I can’t end this post without sneaking these personal photos of us at the celebration. See that ridiculous swing that Rachael made?? Braedon snapped a dozen photos of Olive on it and they’re easily some of my favorites of my little girl! Thanks also to Erica of 10.11 Makeup who did my hair and makeup as a gift from Tina (!!!).

Happy Friday, everyone!! I thought I’d send us off into the weekend with some beautiful engagement photos from one of my 2015 couples, Makenna and Tyler. Although I’ve yet to meet Tyler, I just ADORE Makenna! She is an absolute joy and I feel truly blessed to be working alongside her (and her darling mom!) on her wedding next year. Clients like Makenna remind me how very fortunate I am to do what I do. After nine + years in this industry, this is what keeps me going: the sincere connections I am able to build with incredible people. It is a privilege and joy. Can’t wait for this beautiful day to unfold next fall… it’s going to be one for the books!

Makenna — thank you for entrusting me with the planning of your special day. Love you!!

Here are some sneak peeks of their recent engagement session with I Heart My Groom. Although Madison and Felicia aren’t shooting the wedding, they did a stunning job with these heartfelt images. <3

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! My big tasks are to finalize my Thanksgiving menu (can’t wait to be hostess for the first time!), do some grocery shopping, and deep clean the kitchen. See you soon!

It’s true — I haven’t blogged in ages! As things got busy around here with my final weddings of 2014, the blog took a backseat. Then, I spent the majority of the last month finalizing preparations for the very first Love & Splendor workshop. I’m here to report that by God’s grace, the event was a smashing success. I am still floating on cloud 9 from the experience, and I know it will be a few weeks before I can fully process the beauty of it all. It will also be a bit before we see the professional film photos from Ryan Ray (eek!!) so these iPhone snaps will have to do for now…

This past Sunday, as I scurried around the Heirloom LA Salon with Michelle, prepping for the welcome dinner, I confessed that my heart was beating wildly in my chest. She couldn’t fathom why I’d be nervous. After all, I’m definitely not afraid of public speaking, and I was totally prepared and ready for the workshop itself. I told her that I thought my nerves were a mix of excitement, anticipation and maybe even a bit of self-imposed pressure. I spent nearly a year thinking about hosting a workshop, and then planning every last detail. I wanted to present a workshop that was impactful, educational, and inspiring. Once we had our attendees locked in and registration closed, I think it became real to me. There were 15 incredibly passionate, intelligent, creative women coming to this workshop — would I meet their expectations? Would I be “worth” the journey some were making (from as far as Greece, Canada, Detroit, Pittsburgh…)? In the end I knew all I could do was my very best, and all I could give them was myself, genuinely and freely.

Once the ladies arrived on Sunday and the introductory hugs were given, my nerves naturally calmed. I felt truly humbled to spend a few days with this beautiful group of women, just sharing my heart, my story, and the lessons I’ve learned in the 9 years I’ve worked in this business. With such an intimately-sized group (the perfect size!!), I got to spend time chatting with each of them, too. I got to hear about their goals, their struggles, their desires. We laughed together, I cried (haha! at least 3x on Tuesday — all happy tears!), and we shared some unforgettable moments. When I walked into the farewell dinner at The Washbow, I burst into (joyful) tears. I felt like I had finally given birth, in a way… something I had dreamed of for so long had finally come to fruition and I felt so blessed. I am SO thankful I put on this workshop. I am SO grateful to have met each of these hearts. I can’t wait to keep in touch with each of them, following their journey in the years ahead. Look out for these ladies — I think the L&S “alumni” are the best of the best for the future of this industry.

I could not have put on this workshop alone and I plan to blog a bit about each of the speakers, collaborators and sponsors for this workshop in the weeks ahead.

For now, let it suffice to say that I had the BEST team of people behind me for this workshop and that made all the difference. Above all, I have to give all glory to God. Anything good in me, any gifts that I have, come from Him. I am so grateful for the opportunities He has given me.

I also have lots of general blogging catch-up (life, Olive updates, real weddings) to do. Now that my 2014 season has come to a close, you’ll be hearing more from me here again!

I’ve already been asked many times — will you do another workshop? I think the answer is a resounding yes. But, before diving into that process, I will be taking time to relax, recharge and pray about it. It’s important to me that each workshop has the same level of intention, purpose and attention to detail as this one did. Once I have some information to share, you’ll hear about it! If you would like to join the interest list for the next workshop (and have priority pre-sale for tickets before they are released), feel free to email workshops@loveandsplendor.com.

Thank you to each of you who has followed along here on my blog (or on Instagram) as I embarked on this inaugural workshop journey. Your love, support, prayers and encouragement mean the world to me.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I’m back with another edition of Workshop Wednesday and I am thrilled that we are now just shy of TWO MONTHS until the Love & Splendor Workshop in downtown Los Angeles! If you are thinking about joining us, don’t delay and grab your seat HERE. We’d love to have you join us and the inspiring attendees from all over the country and world ( gasp! — we just had our first international attendee register all the way from Greece! Hi V!).

Today I wanted to whet your appetites with some additional information about the fabulous speakers who will be joining us for the workshop in October. I wanted to bring on speakers who were excellent communicators, experts in their field and passionate about what they do. I also wanted to make sure that the content of their presentations was useful, informational and inspiring. While I expect to have tons of fun during our time together at the workshop, my main goal is to fill our days with really practical, eye-opening, spark-igniting KNOWLEDGE and then a breakdown of the tools needed to get things into motion. So without further ado, here is a rundown on the all-stars (and my dear friends) who will be presenting at the workshop this fall…

Ryan Ray, Film Photographer // Ryan is a highly sought-after photographer who shoots film exclusively. He creates consistently stunning images that are full of emotion and natural beauty. Ryan will be sharing about his experiences working with planners and designers, and what he finds to be their ideal and most helpful qualities and characteristics. He will explain his creative process and how he collaborates with a designer on a shoot or a wedding day, styling each shot to perfection. Ryan exemplifies the importance of vendor relationships and aligning yourself with like-minded creatives as you hone in on your target clientele. You will also get to witness the talent and passion of one of the industry’s foremost photographers and learn about his own story of finding success in a saturated market.

—

Jen Campbell of Green Wedding Shoes // Jen Campbell, a formally trained graphic designer, started Green Wedding Shoes in October of 2008. GWS was born out of Jen’s desire to help couples dream up and plan weddings that reflect their personal interests and sense of style. GWS has since grown to become one of the most popular wedding blogs.

As the Editor and Creative Director of GWS, Jen works closely with top wedding industry talent and creative brides to showcase innovative and unique weddings, style photo shoots, share DIY ideas, and identify trends that give brides-to-be daily inspiration as they plan their big day. Green Wedding Shoes is widely recognized as the go-to wedding blog to find the most creative wedding ideas and vendors along with always keeping a high standard for gorgeous photography.

Ever wonder how to get featured on blogs like Green Wedding Shoes? What is the editor looking for? What makes a submission stand out (in a good way vs. a bad way) and how can you work with your photographer to style & shoot “for” submission? Jen will address these topics and more, as she candidly shares her experience working with planners and designers all over the world. She has a truly unique perspective as an industry figurehead and will make herself available for a no-holds-barred Q&A session following her talk. You’re going to love getting to know the sweet Jen, and will benefit from a personal introduction to her in an intimate, encouraging environment.

—

Jesi Haack Design // Jesi Haack is a designer, stylist and unmatched craft specialist. She is the brilliant mind behind one of the hottest event design studios in the country, now bicoastal with outposts in soCal and NYC. Jesi found quick success in the industry, making a name for herself with her out-of-the-box design style. She mixes her fresh, playful style with a bit of irreverence for a modern take on celebrations of all kinds. You will find her work all over the web and Pinned to no end.

How did she find success in a relatively short period of time? Why did she quit planning and move toward design-only? What does her wedding design process look like? How does she remain ahead of the trends? I know you will be pumped up by Jesi’s infectious energy as she shares on these topics and more in her presentation.

—

Carissa Jowett // Carissa Jowett is the owner and floral event designer behind JL Designs: one of California’s top floral design studios. Carissa’s incredible eye for design is evident in every wedding she does. She has put together phenomenal designs in every aesthetic, from rustic to classic, and retro-tropical to ultra modern. With innate talent and creativity, Carissa produces work that is layered and textural, creating lots of interest and drama. I could stare at her work for hours!

Did you know Carissa once worked for a wedding planner? Carissa will share about her past experiences in the field, as well as how she now works alongside wedding planners and designers in creating a perfect day for her clients. In addition to enjoying Carissa’s insightful presentation, we will have the pleasure of soaking up her gorgeous designs all around us at the workshop itself: her stunning florals will be featured at each workshop event.

—

Brittney Castro// Brittney Castro is the founder and CEO of Financially Wise Women. As a Certified Financial Planner who specializes in working with female entrepreneurs, Brittney is well-versed on the pitfalls and mistakes many young business owners make in their first few years. She will share priceless knowledge with us about starting your own business, pricing, how to manage your money wisely, and creating sound financial goals. She will also open up for a Q&A so you can ask her about your own business money questions.

I know many people in this industry who work full time and yet barely make more than they might working a minimum wage job. I believe this is mostly due to poor financial planning. If you are running a business (and not merely enjoying a hobby), you need to be financially wise. Brittney is so adept in taking the intimidation out of money talk. I can’t think of a better advisor in this arena and am thrilled to have Brittney speak at the workshop!

—

In my own sessions, I’ll be covering the wedding industry from A-Z. Here are just some of the topics I’ll touch on in my sessions…

Starting your business: the nitty gritty steps and priorities

Writing a solid contract and what needs to be included

Pricing wisely for your market

Workflow and time management: how to run the business and not let it run you

Advertising & Marketing: getting your name out there without spending a dime

Social Media: using it as an extension of your brand; being active and relevant but not obsessed

Event production from start to finish: day-of management and handling the “what-ifs”

Client experience and tips for memorable interaction

Cultivating priceless vendor relationships

The planning process: budgets, checklists, timelines and emails.

Targeting your ideal client

Hiring and building your team

The Illusion of Competition

and much, much more!

I feel very strongly that our lineup of speakers represents the industry’s cream of the crop; we will all have so much to glean in October! Come join us and learn firsthand why it pays “flock together” with these birds.

Happy Monday, everyone!! With registration now open for the Love & Splendor Workshop, I wanted to share a little promo video about the workshop prepared by my friends at Elysium Productions. We filmed this a while back on a busy street in downtown LA, not far from the Ace Hotel DTLA, where the workshop will take place!

Thank you to Erica of 10.11 Makeup for making me feel gorgeous that day, and of course to Libby, Julie and the editors at Elysium Productions for helping me with this little project! I figure if you’re going to come to my workshop and hear me speak for 3 days, you might as well make sure my voice doesn’t annoy you (too much) first. hahah! I realize it’s the first time that most of you have heard my voice… was it weird?? I always find it a little interesting to watch someone on video that you’ve only seen in photos. Now that I’ve set you up to analyze my awkwardness in complete detail, enjoy.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen and heard about my new foray into the world of calligraphy. I have always been obsessed with lettering and penmanship. As a child, I was crazy about the Do It Yourself Lettering Book (can’t believe I found it on Amazon!). I’d spend hours trying to mimic the unique and quirky lettering styles on its pages. In my teens, I spent way too many hours meticulously penning 7 page letters to my friends, complete with flourishes, i’s dotted with hearts and a gross overuse of acronyms. LYLAS! (Please tell me someone knows what that means!) I think I’ve always had pretty nice handwriting and many people comment on it in my day-to-day life. I have had clients ask me to make chalkboards and signs for them, but I certainly am no calligrapher. I leave that to the REAL masters of lettering… like my friend Anne Robin.

pals

When my clients are looking for gorgeous, fresh, modern-feeling calligraphy, I direct them to Anne. She is incredibly talented with both classic and contemporary styles and is such a sweetheart to boot. She occasionally teaches calligraphy classes and I made it very clear to my husband that I was dying to go. He took the hint and bought me a seat at her most recent beginner’s class as a Mother’s Day gift. The class took place this past Saturday and I’m still glowing from the experience.

There were about 16 of us in the class and Anne did such a wonderful job. We were given a fun neon-splattered tote bag filled with all the essential supplies (nibs, ink, pens and a pad of paper) as well as a lettering guide. I especially loved my name written by Anne, translated to laser-cut wood by Pitbulls and Posies. What a special keepsake!! She also gave us a beautiful print that reads, “Never Stop Learning.” I love the sentiment and couldn’t agree more.

Anne used a chalkboard to help us go through each letter of the alphabet, both upper and lowercase. As we got the hang of using our pens and nibs, she would walk around to evaluate our work and give suggestions and corrections as needed. She answered all of our questions honestly and patiently. Anne is such a natural teacher and is so approachable, kind and eager to help.

I totally made her pose for this photo.

Lunch was catered by Tender Greens (YUM) along with my new obsession: Brazilian truffle-like treats called brigadeiro from Simply Brigadeiro. You guys. They are so ridiculously cute and they taste even better. I wish I had one (dozen…) now!

The class was five hours long (including lunch) but it flew by for me; I could have stayed much longer just doodling. My classmates were all creative, inspiring women and I enjoyed getting to know some of them while we worked. It was the perfect “escape” for me in a very busy time of year.

As you can guess, I’m completely smitten on lettering once again. I wrote out this week’s meal plan and grocery list in calligraphy and am looking for any excuse to pull out the nib and inkwell to write something! Practice, practice, practice.

I certainly do not plan to become a calligrapher (Anne joked at how tightly I grasp the pen — a big no no — can you imagine the cramps and arthritis I’d acquire?!) but am so excited to use my new skills in writing notes, addressing envelopes and adding an extra special touch to gifts and projects. You can bet that I will be at Anne’s next intermediate class!

In most years, I’ll start my wedding season in March or April, with a few scattered events until peak season between June and October. This year, however, we got off to a running start in January with the special wedding of my precious high school friend, Teresa. Our last wedding of 2013 was in late December so we never really took a breath around here! Teresa has been a treasured pal for 15+ years and it was an honor to work with her on her wedding at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Downtown Los Angeles.

Can I just kick off the post with this engagement photo? It instantly brings a smile to my face!

If you’ve ever been to The Music Center, you’ll know that it features lots of natural light, towering walls of windows and stunning architecture and design. Upon entering the lobby, you are transported to a classically elegant, timeless and luxurious setting. The marble floors, golden columns and my favorite, the gigantic Bavarian crystal chandeliers, make a dramatic statement. To top it off, you have scrumptious in-house catering by Patina Group!

Teresa opted for a feminine and romantic look for her wedding, embracing shades of blush, sage green and creamy ivories, paired with gold accents. Everything was ladylike and dreamy and soft and lovely. What a sweet, sweet day to see such a long-standing and cherished friend get married to a wonderful man. Congratulations, Teresa and James!!

Enjoy these beautiful photos from Erin Hearts Court. They always knock it out of the park and I love working with them.

Teresa’s bouquet featured a locket with photos of her late Halmunee (grandmother).

First look!

Teresa and her maids, which included her sister (whose wedding we also did!) and five sweet gals from high school.

bright, airy, refreshing.

scenes from their traditional Korean paebaek ceremony

One of my favorite images of Teresa from that day — love the lighting and her expression.

framed engagement photos and gilded votive holders were placed near the elevators

Teresa and I found the perfect peachy blush silk dupioni and beaded trim for these boxes on half of the guest tables. I loved how they turned out!

Happy Friday, everyone! At this time one week ago, I was fluffing pillows and chopping veggies and preparing for a sweet little weekend with our dear friends, the Kaisers. I met Nate and Jaclyn (photographers behind The Image is Found) in 2006 when we were all young and fresh-faced in the industry, as we worked with some amazing clients on a posh Hollywood Hills estate wedding. We had an instant click that night and over the course of the last 8 years (!) we have made some awesome memories together. They have photographed us multiple times, most notably for this bride & groom session we shot in a dried out lake bed in the rain in early 2007. My friendship with Nate and Jac has always been so natural and easy. We just get each other. We can go months without seeing each other and then boom — we get together and laugh until we cry like we never were apart. Jac has also been such a loving and supportive friend to me through hard times. When I had my first miscarriage in 2011, she was the first to send me a little love package, an encouraging book, and a heartfelt note. To know the Kaisers is to love the Kaisers and I am so grateful they are in my life.

circa 2010??

When we used to live in LA and they lived in SD/Oceanside, we would meet in Orange County for catch up lunches. Now that they live in the mountains and we live further up the coast, our visits have been fewer and farther between. So, I was thrilled to have them stay with us for a few days while they shot a wedding in Paso Robles last weekend. They arrived on Friday and we shared a scrumptious homemade vegetarian meal (butternut squash ravioli and sundried tomato soup!) together before staying up late giggling and catching up. On Saturday, we had a delicious brunch at The Natural Cafe in SLO before Nate and Jac headed off to shoot their wedding. Erik and I took the three kiddos (Grace, Jasper, and Olive) to Avila Valley Barn where we visited adorable animals (including alpacas and goats), enjoyed saltwater taffy and local honey, and took a requisite hayride. Back at home, Erik took Jasper and Olive in the backyard to hunt for four-leafed clovers (we found 7 in under 15 minutes! Isn’t that amazing?! I don’t think I ever found one as a kid.) while Grace and I made a batch of homemade caramel ice cream. You guys — it turned out to be the most decadent and luscious ice cream ever. Recipe coming soon!!

While Olive napped, Erik and I played Monopoly with the Kaiser kiddos. We had heard Jasper was a fierce competitor (and he was!), but Erik took no prisoners and destroyed us all (typical). Around sunset, we headed to one of my favorite local parks (overlooking the vast Pacific) to run off some energy and explore the shores as the tide came in. Then we picked up some delicious local pizza and ate it on a blanket spread out in the living room, picnic-style, while watching Frozen. It was such a sweet and simple day. The kids got along SO well. I think I pinched Erik a few times throughout the day and whispered how much I’d love to have three kids one day.

Nate and Jac got home after the kids were tucked in, and we sat up late (again), devouring caramel ice cream and cracking up over hilarious stories about our awkward teen years. Oh geez!

They set off for Solvang on Sunday so I had Grace snap this quick photo on our steps before church. I love hosting guests in our home but even more than that, I love nourishing enduring relationships with wonderful friends. Thank you, Kaisers, for such a wonderful time! We love you and can’t wait to come see you in the mountains!

I hope you all have a great weekend! I’m speaking at the sold-out Enjoy Events Co. workshop on Sunday and will be up tonight putting the final touches on my presentation. Yay! If you haven’t entered our blog/site launch giveaway, make sure to do so before Sunday night! Thanks for stopping by — see you again soon.

I have to start by saying THANK YOU to all of you for your overwhelming love and support in light of our big logo + website + blog launch ! If you haven’t seen the new site and blog yet, please make sure to take a peek and enter our celebration giveaway! I truly am grateful for the sweet words and encouragement so many of you have shared with me. THANK you for making it such an exciting week!

Today I wanted to feature one of my previously-unseen weddings that debuted in a new website gallery: the beautiful Paso Robles nuptials of Tiffany and Leo. This dream of a wedding started with an enthusiastic email from the sweet bride. Bliss and excitement oozed from every line of that first message. It concluded with the simple yet bold statement: “You will love working with us.” And guess what? She was SO right. I cannot tell you what a pleasure it was to meet and work with these two lovebirds. They have hearts of gold, incredible taste, and SO.MUCH.LOVE. I was taken aback by their beautiful love for one another, the tenderness in their interactions, the sincerity and kindness with which they treated everyone throughout the planning process. And now, these two are expecting their first little babe and I couldn’t be happier for them. <3 I LOVE you two, Tiffany and Leo, and I am seriously hoping to make it to Austin to visit you!!!

Their wedding took place at the picturesque Denner Vineyards, nestled in the rolling hills of Paso Robles. A heartfelt ceremony took place overlooking the heavy golden vines (right amidst harvest season), performed by their hilarious friend, Patrick. Hanging in the nearby trees were windows that were salvaged from St. Leo’s Church in Murray, Kansas, which was founded and built by Leo’s grandparents in 1943. I loved this personal touch. Vintage church pews and a lovely golden arch from {found} vintage rentals helped round out their outdoor ‘chapel.’ The sunset cocktail hour featured fun music from the Get Down Boys and bocce ball. Cozy lounge vignettes from {found} added to the celebratory scene.

For dinner, guests enjoyed a stunning meal of seasonal fare presented by Chef Charlie, gathered around farm tables set with the loveliest Casa de Perrin china, flatware and glassware. Their botanical collection added such an approachable elegance to the placesettings. I still can’t get over the jadeite and crystal salt and pepper cellars! One of my favorite moments of the night was a surprise serenade for the couple by singer Josh Krajcik, who had been flown in by the groom’s brother and best man. As dinner wound down, we enjoyed the beautiful voice of Ray Fortune, who is one of my favorite local musicians. Cake and cupcakes were provided by the one and only Enjoy Cupcakes (yum!) and guests closed out the evening by rocking to the totally rad stylings of 80’s throwback band The Spazmatics.

Soak in all the beauty of their day through these glowing images from the talented and gracious Allyson Magda….

I’ve shared it before but please, PLEASE take a moment to watch this gorgeous film of their day from my dear friends Ben & Drew of Cana Family:

If you’re reading this post in bloglovin or another similar subscription box, today is the day to click over to the actual blog and take a look around. I’m SO thrilled to finally unveil the long-awaited (and long-overdue) new branding and sites for Love & Splendor. HOORAY!

My old site was built in 2007 and slightly updated in 2008. Yikes! Although I launched a new(er) blog in 2011, I never updated the website because I knew it would take a lot more than a facelift. We needed something completely fresh and new. As I embarked on my rebranding journey, I reached out to my incredibly talented and dear friend Julie Song Ink. I am coming up on 2 years of having Julie in my world and she still wows me every single time. She is truly one of the most innately gifted illustrators/artists I have ever known, yet she has the most humble demeanor. I poured out my vision to her in the form of run-on sentences and an excessive amount of adjectives, colors, images, etc. She thoughtfully took in every single word and brought to life exactly what I had desired. Every stroke and detail was beautifully executed and somehow, I felt very personally connected to each bit (as if she had dipped her brush straight into my heart and let it spill out on the page). The new L&S logo is truly representative of both my personal aesthetic and our wedding design brand. See the dainty ginkgo leaves? I love how she integrated them as they come from my favorite tree. The site is clean (lots of white space) but the logo gives it that splash of signature L&S whimsy, charm, and exuberance. Playful with polish. In addition to the dramatic Love and Splendor logo, Julie is responsible for the beautiful header on the new blog as well as all the pretty hand lettering you’ll find around the sites. Julie // I can’t thank you enough for working so hard to bring this logo to life. Your meticulous, careful, attentive nature paired with your natural talent bring about magic. Pure magic. No one else could have captured my heart in this way; you are the only person I would have wanted for this project. I adore you so much and am thankful to call you a friend!! Love you!!

Thanks are also due to the ever-patient and hard-working Steph Anne of Yellow and Savvy (along with programmer Raz) who helped design and code both the website and blog. Steph Anne actually did my previous blog (in 2011) and I love working with her. She has a great eye and offered lots of helpful advice along the way, while staying true to my vision. I am grateful for all the effort and heart she put into this project and I absolutely could not have done it without her.

Thank you to my amazing colleagues (photographers, floral designers, etc.) for helping me bring this site to life. The images that you see on my website and on the blog are the results of heartfelt collaboration. It takes a village to put on a flawless event and I am blessed with the best of the best. Working alongside amazing artists fuels my own creativity.

Finally, a huge thank you to my precious clients and blog readers who allow me to do what I love everyday. I count it a tremendous blessing to have been in this industry for nearly 9 years, still working and being inspired and enjoying every minute. I am also so humbled by each of you who take the time to stop and visit me here on the blog, and those who have written me encouraging notes and comments over the years. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love and support.

Still coming: new team photos (woohoo!) and even more beautiful images for our portfolio. Is it funny that I already know this season will turn out weddings that will become portfolio galleries? Get ready for a great year!

To celebrate the ALL NEW website and blog, I wanted to share a little giveaway! Simply leave a comment below letting me know how you found my blog (or how do you know me, anyway??) and you’ll be entered to win a random assortment of some of my recent favorite things: an Emily Isabella tea towel, Maybelline BabyLips and a few other surprises.

You have until 9pm PST this Sunday, April 13th, to enter. The randomly selected winner will be announced on Monday morning (the 14th). Good luck and thank you again for celebrating with me!!!

I’m Angel and I’m so glad you’re here! This blog chronicles my life as a wife, mother, and event planner & designer on the California coast. Here you’ll find everyday inspiration, musings on motherhood, our wedding design work and glimpses of daily life. It’s an eclectic mix of all the beautiful things in my world!